Acid Rain

Lesson: Acid Rain
Unit: Direct and Indirect Effects
Materials: white board and markers.
Age Level: 3rd-6th
Space Requirements: classroom
Time: 20 minutes
Objectives:
Students will learn about acid rain and acid deposition
Students will brainstorm ways they can reduce the acid rain problem.

Plan: Tell students about the process of acid rain forming while drawing a picture of it (or have it on a felt board to go along with the lecture). SO2 and NOx gasses come out of automobiles from combustion and go in to the clouds. There they mix with water and oxygen and through a chemical reaction become sulfuric acid and nitrous acid. Sunlight helps speed up these reactions. The sulfuric acid and nitrous acid come down with precipitation like rain and snow and land in the soil, making the soil more acidic. The trees have a natural system that reduces the acidity of the soil and helps them get nutrients. But because of the increased amount of acid in rain, the trees can’t protect themselves any more and slowly die. The build-up of acid in the soil is called acid deposition. Ask the students what they can do to help reduce this problem. (answers can include: drive less, walk, ride the bus, carpool)